New York City still hasn't decided what to do with 'Fearless Girl'

The bronze statue, which appeared one year ago opposite the iconic charging bull near Wall Street, is guaranteed a place only through Thursday â?? International Women's Day.

By Danielle Wiener-Bronner

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- New York City still hasn't said whether "Fearless Girl" will stay.

The bronze statue, which appeared one year ago opposite the iconic charging bull near Wall Street, is guaranteed a place only through Thursday - International Women's Day.

Natalie Grybauskas, a spokesperson for Mayor Bill de Blasio, told CNN that the statue will probably stay in place for a few more days. Beyond that, she said, the city expects to announce its plans soon.

State Street Global Advisors, the financial company, installed the sculpture of the defiant girl in front of the bull for International Women's Day 2017.

At first, she was only supposed to be there a few days. But the sculpture won overwhelming support from the public, and the city decided to extend her permit for a year.

"We're obviously hopeful that we can arrive at some sort of a placement for her that keeps her in the public domain," Lori Heinel, deputy global chief investment officer for State Street, told CNN's Maggie Lake on Thursday.

"We're working very seriously with the mayor's office to to find a solution," she added.

Nearly 40,000 people have signed a Change.org petition urging the city to make "Fearless Girl" permanent.

On Thursday, a stream of people stopped by the statue to snap photos. Olga Ayala, who lives on Staten Island, said she decided to take a picture of "Fearless Girl" on what might be her last day.

Others made it a point to visit the statue because it was International Women's Day.

Kirsten Prescott, who was visiting New York from England with a group of high school students, said the statue is a good way to teach a lesson about gender equality in the workplace.

Last month, Adweek reported that "Fearless Girl" and the bull could both be moved to a new permanent location. The city declined to comment on the report.

Kristen Visbal, the artist who made "Fearless Girl," said in a statement that she hopes that the statues remain together, and that they stay where they are.

Visbal noted that installing the bronze statue across from the bull was not easy.

"The cobblestone was matched and we went to a great deal of trouble to ensure our girl looked as if she'd always been there," she said.

But she added, "Fearless Girl can stand alone."

Visbal visited the statue on Thursday.

"When we installed and unveiled the work, we had no idea whether people were going to love or hate 'Fearless Girl,'" Visbal told CNN while people took photos nearby. "I think she's filled a niche that's needed to be filled."